The 28-year-old Swiss driver boasts extensive experience in Formula 2, but what makes this move unusual is that he had announced his retirement in 2024. Boschung becomes the second signing for Audi’s newly launched young driver program, alongside the reigning Formula Regional champion, British driver Freddie Slater.
Audi has confirmed that Ralph Boschung has joined its Formula 1 team as a development driver.
Interestingly, the 28-year-old, who also claimed a win in Formula 2, had previously announced his retirement from racing in 2024. Now, however, he will work alongside British driver Freddie Slater, the current Formula Regional champion, who this year will compete in Formula 3, as part of the young driver program recently introduced by Audi in Ingolstadt. This has raised a few eyebrows, especially considering that Boschung is seven years older than the current race driver Gabriel Bortoleto.
The Swiss driver, who competed in Formula 2 for seven full seasons between 2017 and 2023, was selected by Allan McNish, a legend of the German brand known for his successes at Le Mans, who was appointed head of the junior program launched last month.
The announcement was made through a short statement posted on the team’s social media channels: “New development driver: we are building the future with us. We are proud to welcome Swiss driver Ralph Boschung as our development driver. Congratulations on taking this step forward with us.”
Boschung’s work is expected to focus primarily on simulator duties, as no racing program has yet been announced for him alongside his commitment to the Audi Formula 1 team.
Audi’s decision to pull Ralph Boschung out of retirement as a development driver underscores the team’s priority on technical maturity over raw youth for their 2026 simulation work. While the “junior” label may seem a mismatch for a 28-year-old veteran, his seven seasons in Formula 2 provide a level of analytical consistency that is vital for a new manufacturer finding its feet. By pairing the experienced Swiss driver with a rising star like Freddie Slater, Allan McNish is building a balanced support structure designed to refine the Audi Power Unit and chassis before Gabriel Bortoleto takes the wheel for real. In the high-stakes build-up to the 2026 era, Boschung’s return proves that sometimes, the best way to build the future is to rely on the expertise of the past.
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